Hyderabad

A 500 year old city that, in places, still boasts its heritage as proudly as European cities do.  Impressive structures built by the Qutb Shahis (from Persia), the founders of the city 500 years ago, rise elegantly from the hectic streets, still intact and used today. 

The Charminar takes centre stage in the Islamic area of the city, traffic nudging its way noisily around it, and the bazaars, shining, glittering and crammed in, spread brightly from its epicentre, clustering around a back drop of stunning old buildings, including a mosque, also built by the Qutb Shahis, that can hold 10,000 worshippers.  It is energetic, noisy, polluted, sparkling, friendly, curious and wonderful.   To walk around the area near the Charminar is to take a trip through history.  If one can ignore the traffic, it is not hard to imagine that life has not changed much here in 500 years.  The food sellers, street hawkers with strings of twinkling necklaces lined up their arms, carts with toothbrushes, combs, soap dishes, mirrors and other sundry items arranged neatly, stalls selling Qur’ans in beautifully gilt boxes and dazzling clothes shops showing off their finely embroidered cloth.  Even the setting for these shops, stalls, carts, and hawkers is beautiful, old buildings with carved pillars supporting ornate galleries that run along the length of the buildings.  It is nice to see Indian history, as opposed to Colonial history, so prominent in a city.

Walking down the winding alleys, sprouting off the side of the main road that leads up to and beyond the Charminar, is a wonderfully colourful journey into the lives of the people that live here.  Curious looking pickle sellers call cheerily from their huts, shop keepers invite you to sit and enjoy a cup of tea, endless stores of burkas, all fashioned with bejewelled bling, and old men chattering behind carts of garlic and chillies.  It is an incredibly friendly place, everywhere we turned were beaming smiles and an enthusiastic willingness to engage us.  I felt a genuine love of life from the people in this area.  I could have walked around for days and fed off the good spirit of the people there.

The accommodation was the only thing that left something to be desired.  And we managed to negate that by spoiling ourselves with a room that was double our budget.  But, oh, it was worth it.  A bed so comfortable it was reminiscent of the one we left behind, almost silent AC, constant hot running water, unbeatable cleanliness, and Alex’s favourite – a flat screen TV.  It was executive luxury.

During our time in Hyderabad, we also took a trip to Golconda Fort, the original home of the Kor-i-noor diamond, and the predecessor city to Hyderabad, when the water ran out there, the Qtub’s moved to Hyderabad.  It appears to have been a very sophisticated place.  Situated on top of a hill, there were complicated systems in which to move water around, so the royal family at the top had constant access to it, and swimming pools were kept replenished.  The fort itself had an impressive history in defending its inhabitants, it managed to withstand an 8 month siege without falling.  And the acoustics are incredible, it is possible to hear the clapping of hands at the front gate, a kilometre away in the senate rooms at the very top of the hill.   There are lots of winding passages, large shaded halls, and at the top, fantastic panoramas of the cityscapes.  It is also possible to see the tombs of the Qutb’s, their massive domes bulging out of the surrounds, bursting into the skyline.  

After mooching around the fort for a few hours, which could have probably been done much quicker, had we not been asked to be photographed every few steps by very excitable, and ever friendly, Indians, we went to the tombs.  Close up they are immense, and stunning.  Grand examples of Persian architecture, with their ornate columns, intricate reliefs and bulbous domes.  In places the original paint work can be seen, which is bright and colourful.  These would have been truly glorious structures in their day, they are now.  Set in a peaceful, undeveloped area, with colourful trees and flowers, chipmonks rustling around the leaves, a complete absence of motorised vehicles, the entire Qutb dynasty lay in rest in 7 of these enormous, elaborate mausoleums , and their family in smaller tombs around them.

There was also the NTR gardens, were we took a trip in a time machine, watched rats spill from projector screens, hid amidst huge fruit, ate chaats in vintage cars and got sky rash.  The surreal offerings of a national company to create bizarre, green spaces within the city.   

As you might be able to tell, I liked Hyderabad.  A lot.  Although it is located away from many other tourist destinations, I think it is worth the effort to go there.  I would have like to have stayed longer, but we have a visa that is soon to expire, and many other places we want to visit before we temporarily leave this country. 

N.B.  We have had a break through.  Alex, eating street food, while sat on a dirty pavement.  It might have taken 4½ months, but we got there!  The diary of neuroses is getting added to less and less frequently.  I am proud of you darling!